Manual valve-operating means



July 16, 1957 J. H. Rouse MANUAL VALVE-OPERATING MEANS Filed Deo. 12, 1952 Slimmer United States Patent G MANUAL VALVE-OPERATING MEANS John H. Rouse, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to General Iontrols Co., Glendale, Calif., a corporation of Caliornia Application December 12, 1952, Serial N o. 325,542

4 Claims. (Cl. 236-1) This invention relates to valves of the type which include a plug rotatable in. a socket to normally control flow through the valve; and a plurality of supplemental means for controlling said flow, such as a conditionresponsive safety valve adapted to obstruct the ow in the event of establishment of an abnormal degree of said condition, and another valve adapted to automatically control the ow in accordance with variations of a controlling condition.

A general object of the invention is to provide improved means, operable by movement -of a Asingle handle throughv a plurality of successive ranges, for rotating the valve plug and for controlling the operation of the supplemental control means.

For` full understanding of the invention, and further appreciation of its objects and advantages, reference is to be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims.

c In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional, and more-or-less diagrammatic, View of a valve embodying this invention, shown connected to control supply of fuel to a gas-burner system;

Figures la and 1b are detail views, to enlarged scale, taken, respectively, in the directions of the arrows 1a and 1b in Fig. l; and

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views, generally from above, showing the gear members 23 and 24 and plug 17 of Fig. 1 in relative positions assumed in operation of the valve.

In the drawing, the numeral 11 indicates a valve cas- -z ing having an inlet chamber 12 and an outlet chamber 13 which are separated'by a partition 14 formed by an inner portion of the casing; the open `bottom of the casing being closed by a plate 15` having a depression detining a cup-shaped compartment 16.

In the partition portion 1'4 is a conical recess whose side Wall forms a seat or socket for a valve` plug 17, of hollow construction, having an opening 18 through its side wall. When the plug 17 is rotated -clockwise (as viewed from the top) through 90 from its position as shown in Fig. 1 (and Fig. 2,) the opening 1S is in register with an opening 19 in the partition portion leading to the outlet chamber 13. ln a lower part of the plug is a'transverseslot 20 through which iiuid can pass (when the plug is in some angular positions) from the hollow of the plug to a supplemental. `opening 21 leading to the exterior of the casing at its back. At its top the plug Y17 has a stem 22 which extends through an opening in the top of the casing and is securedV to a gear member 23 cooperable with another gear member 24 xedly vmounted on a shaft 25 which is journalled at its bottom in a socket in the easing and has at its top a handle 26. The bottom or mouth of the plug-recess forms an annular seat 27 for a closure disk 2,8 having on its underside a stem 29 which extends into the compartment 16 through an opening in a plate 30 covering the compartment; stem. 29 carrying at its bottom an armature 31 Patented July 16, 1957 ICC 2 't cooperable with an electromagnet comprising a Ushaped core 32 and an energizing coil 33.

The outlet chamber 13 is connected by a conduit 34 to a main lburner indicated by the legend; the supplemental opening 21 being connected by a pipe 35 to a pilot 4burner 36 lwhose ames 37 serve for igniting the main burner and for heating a thermocouple 3S having leads extending through a tube 39 yand connected to the electromagnet coil 33.

With the valve parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the pilot burner is in communication with the inlet chamber 12. (which, it is to be assumed, is connected by a conduit 40 to a source of fuel gas) by way of the nowopen mouth of the plug-recess, slot 20, -opening 21 and pipe 3S. The pilot burner being alight, the thermocouple 38 is heated so that the electromagnet 32-33 is energized suiiiciently to hold the armature 31 in contact with the pole-faces of core 32 against the force of a spring 41 acting on stem 29; the safety valve consituted by the closure 28 and seat 27 therefore being maintained in open positionv while the pilot burner is alight.

In the event of extinguishment of the pilot burner and resultant cessation of generation of electrical energy by the thermocouple, the armature 31 is released so that, under the force of spring 41, closure 23 moves into engagement with seat 27, thereby obstructing Vall flow from the inlet chamber of the valve.

In order to -reopen the safety valve manual operation is necessary since the electromagnet 32-33 is incapable of attracting armature 31 through an appreciable distance. For opening the safety valve there is 'a rod 42 reciprocable in an opening through a thickened side-wall portionv of the casing and biased upwards by a spring 43; the lower extremity of rod 42 being engageable4 with an arm 44 pivoted at one end on a bracket 45 lattached to the bottom plate 1S, and at its other end to the safety-closure stem 29. When the safetyv closure 28 is seated, and rod 42 is in its biased position, there is clearance between arm 44 Vand the lower extremity of `rod 42. The upper end of rod 42 extends outwa-rds from the top of the casing and is there engageable by a tapered cam 46 (-see Fig. la), fixed to the underside of gear member 24, when that member is rotated, by means of handle 25, in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the top)v from its position as shown in Fig. l. Such rotation of gear member 24 effects, through cam 46, rod 42, arm 44 and stem 29, movement of closure 28 to open position and armature` 31 into contact With the electromagnet core. While holding the armature in this position, the gas then flowing to the pilot burner is ignited, so that after a brief interval the electromagnet is again effective to retain `the safety valve in open position; whereupon the handle may be released.

In Fig. 2 the gear members 23, 24 and plug 17 are shown in the same relative positions as in Fig. l, wherein flow from the hollow of the plug through the main opening 18 is obstructed by the solid wall of the plug socket, and flow to the pilot burner is permitted by way of slot 20 and opening 21.

As can be seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the gear member 23 has nine gear-teeth which extend half-way around its periphery; while gear member 24 has two sets 24 and 24, each of four teeth, separated from each other by blank edge-portions 24a and 24h on the root-circle of the gear teeth.

In the clockwise rotation (described in connection with the reopening of the safety-valve) of the handle and gear member 24 through the Reset range indicated by the legend and index 47 in Fig. 2, no rotation of the gearor plug-member 23 can occur because of the absence of teeth on the portion 24a. Since there is no operative connection between the gear members 23 and 24 during the resetting or reopening operation of the safety valve, upward return of rod 42 under the bias of spring 43 (and rotation of member 24) is permitted when the handle is released. If, on the other hand, there were a continuous driving connection between the gear members, upon release of the handle the gear members would remain stationary because of the inherent high degree of friction between the plug and its socket, so that the safety valve would be held open regardless of whether or not the electromagnet were energized, and a possibly-dangerous condition would be established.

To establish communication between the plug opening 18 and the main outlet of the valve, the handle 26 is rotated counterclockwise from its position in Figs. 1 and 2 so that, through the intermeshing of gear-set 24 and gear 23, the plug is rotated clockwise. When the handle has been turned through 90 the openings 18 and 19 are in register; this condition being indicated when the index 47 is at the line bearing the legend Main full open" in Fig. 3.

For automatically controlling flow of fuel to the main burner there is a thermostatic device 48, of the conventional rod-and-tube type, which projects from the valve casing through an opening in a wall 49 forming part of a furnace around the burners. The device 48 comprises a rod 50 whose end within the casing cooperates with a spring disk 51 mounted by its rim in notches cut in a pair of lugs 52 and 53 projecting from portions of the casing so that gas can flow freely from opening 19 and around the disk into the outlet chamber 13. The disk 51 carries a closure 54 cooperable with a seat formed around the outlet end of opening 19. With rise of furnace temperature the rod 50 expands and forces the disk inwards, moving closure 54 closer to its seat; corresponding opening movement of the closure, under the tension of the spring disk, occurring with fall of furnace temperature and contraction of rod 50. In practice, the disk 51 and rod 50 would be interconnected in a well-known manner to effect snap-action of closure 54.

The outer end of rod 50 has a threaded connection (not shown) with the outer end of the tubular part of thermostat 48, so that the temperature setting of the thermostat can be adjusted by rotating the rod. For this purpose there is a rod 55 reciprocable in a horizontal opening in the casing, at the back of the plug-stem 22, and biased toward the left by the force of a spring 56. The left-hand end of rod 55 projects outside the casing and is there cooperable with a cam 57 secured to the handle-shaft 25 at its lower end; the iight-hand end of rod 55 projecting into the outlet chamber 13 and carrying a wedge 58 (see Fig. 1b) which cooperates with an arm 59 attached to the thermostat rod 50 and biased by a spring 60 into engagement with the wedge 58.

The cam 57 is so formed and arranged that after the handle has been rotated to bring the plug to its full-open position, continued rotation of the handle and cam 57 effects movement of rod 55 to the right so that, through wedge 58, the arm 59 is rotated in a direction toward the viewer; the effective length of rod 50 thus being reduced and the temperature setting of the thermostat raised. Reverse rotation of the cam 57 permits rod 55 and arm 59 .to return under the force of their respective bias springs, so that the setting of the thermostat is then lowered. In Fig. 3 the legend Temp- Adj. Range indicates the arc through which the index 47 moves within this range. It will be observed that the setting of the thermostat is always initially at the safe low end of its range upon supply of gas to the main burner.

When the handle has been rotated counterclockwise from the position of Fig. 2 to the Main full open position of Fig. 3, the gear-set 24 is out of mesh with gear 23; rotation of the handle within the temperature adjusting range having no effect on the plug member 17 because of the absence of teeth on the gear-member portion 24b.

In normal operation of the burner system, the handle is turned, between positions corresponding to those of the parts as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to either obstruct flow to the main burner, or to permit such flow and adjust the setting of the furnace thermostat; the pilot burner remaining alight.

To eiect 100% shut-olf of the valve and burner system, the handle is turned counterclockwise in an additional range beyond the temperature adjusting range, so that through the meshing of gear-set 24 with an extra set of teeth on the gear member 23 the plug is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4 wherein flow is obstructed not only to the main burner but also to the pilot burner, since the slot 20 is then out of communication with the opening 21; this condition being indicated by the legend Main and pilot closed in Fig. 4. When, with the parts in the position of Fig. 4, the pilot burner is extinguished, electroinagnet 32-33 becomes deenergized so that the safety valve closes automatically; it then being necessary to reset the safety valve in order to reinitiate operation of the burner system.

The sequence of operations then to be performed is as follows: (1) Turn the manual operating means (24-26) clockwise until the plug is brought to its normal closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. (2) Turn the operating means still farther clockwise (through the Reset Range indicated in Fig. 2) so that through cam 46,` rod 42, arm 44 and stern 29, the safety closure 28 is opened and armature 31 brought into engagement with core 32. (3) vLight the gas then owing through slot 20 and opening 21 to the pilot burner. (4) Hold the operating means until the electromagnet is energized suiciently to retain the armature. (5) Release the operating means so that, through spring 43, rod 42 and cam 46, the operating means is returned to the position shown in Fig. 2. (6) Turn the operating means counterclockwise through so that, through gears 24 and 23, the plug is brought to its fully-open position. (7) Turn the operating means still farther counterclockwise through, say, 45 (the operating means and plug then being in the positions shown in Fig. 3) so that through cam 57, rod 55, wedge 58 and arm 59, the rod 50 4of thermostat 48 is adjusted to a position to maintain the desired temperature inthe furnace by thermostatically opening and closing the closure 54 which controls flow of gas to the main burner from the plug which remains stationary in fully-open position while the operating means is operated within the Temperature adjusting range indicated in Fig. 3.

It is to be understood that the showing of Fig. 1 is essentially diagrammatic. In a practical embodiment of the valve, generally as shown in Fig. 1, stops should be provided for limiting rotation of the handle to the four operational ranges described: reset range, normal plugoperating range, temperature adjusting range, vand the additional full-shut-ol range. Further, a cover should be provided for the gear members to prevent such accidental displacement of the plug gear 23 (when it is out of mesh with the handle gear 24) as might interfere withrthe proper operation of the valve. When the gear members are so covered, rotation of the plug gear 23 cannot normally be produced by jar or vibration because of the friction between the plug and its socket; however, if desired, means (such as of the Geneva-movement type) may be provided for locking the plug gear when it is out of mesh with the gear-sets 24 and 24". According to this invention the driving gear 24 could'be in the form of a reciprocable rack having spaced-apart sets of driving elements; or it could be an annular gear surrounding-the plug gear and having sets of teeth on its inner periphery.

The specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is therefore to be considered as merely illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the appended claims. The manu-al member as recited in these claims is intended to cover means such as the gear member 24, shaft 25, cams 46 and 57, and the handle, in combination; or their equivalents.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a valve structure of the type having a ow passage, a plug valve for normally controlling flow through said passage and comprising an apertured plug rotatable between an open and a closed position, rst supplemental control means of the safety type adapted to completely obstruct said ow, and second supplemental control means of the type adapted to control the flow in accordance with variations of a controlling condition, both of said supplemental control means being connected in series with said plug valve: improved means for manually rotating s-aid plug between said positions and for controlling the operation of said supplemental control means, comprising: a manual member arranged for operative movement in alternate directions through three successive ranges, said manual member having a set of driving elements so -arranged that they move in a path when the manual member is moved, as well as means, separate from said driving elements, for controlling the operation of said supplemental control means; and another member, secured to said plug, having a set of elements so arranged that they are individually drivable by said driving elements to effect rotation of the plug between said positions; said driving elements being so arranged as to cooperate with said drivable elements only when the manual member is moved in the medial one of said three ranges; said means for controlling the operation of said supplemental control means being so arranged as to be effective in the movement of the manual member in only the one of the other of said three ranges wherein said plug valve is closed to control the operation of said rst supplemental control means, and 'm only the other of said other ranges wherein the plug valve is open to control the operation of said second supplemental control means.

2. The combination dened in claim 1, and wherein said manual member is arranged to move in an additional range beyond one end of said three ranges, and including an extra set of driving and drivable elements on the respective members arranged to intercooperate only when the manual member is moved in said additional range.

3. In a valve structure of the type having a ow passage, a plug valve for normally controlling ilow through said passage and comprising an aperture plug rotatable between an open and a closed position, rst supplemental control means of the automatic safety type adapted to completely obstruct said ow, and second supplemental control means of the type adapted to control the flow in accordance with variations of a controlling condition,

both of said supplemental control means being connected in series with said plug valve; improved means for manually rotating said plug between said positions and for controlling the operation of said supplemental control means, comprising: a manual member arranged for operative movement in alternate directions through three successive ranges; and another member, secured to said plug and rotatable coaXially therewith, having a set of gear elements on its periphery; said manual member having a set of gear elements meshable with the set of elements on said plug member and so arranged and of such limited extent that the sets of elements are intermeshed, and effect rotation of the plug between said positions, only in the movement of the manual member in the medial one of said three ranges; said manual member having also a pair of cam means for controlling the operation of respective ones of said supplemental control means; said supplemental control means comprising means individually engageable by said cam means to effect control of the operation of respective ones of the supplemental control means; one of said pair of cam means being so arranged that movement of the manual member in only the one of the other of said three ranges wherein said plug is in closed position is effective to control the operation of said lirst supplemental control means; the other of said cam means being so arranged that movement of the manual member in only the other of said ranges, wherein the plug is in open position, is effective to control the operation of said second supplemental control means.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, and wherein said manual member is arranged to move in an additional range adjoining the range wherein said gear elements are out of mesh and said plug is in open position, and lincluding an extra set of gear elements on the manual member and on said plug member arranged to intermesh and effect rotation of the plug to an additional closed position only when the manual member is moved in said additional range.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 554,111 Conti Feb. 4, 1896 1,821,929 Cornner Sept. 8, 1931 2,256,319 Johnson Sept. 16, 1941 2,290,626 Bosomworth July 21, 1942 2,566,372 Ray Sept. 4, 1951 

